Extension: Build progress part three

The fiddle yard tracks are now finished, just wiring required, so work switches to the front section.

The new section is clamped to the existing board in an attempt to use the existing dowel pin positions. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to line up properly and with all that scenery, a spirit level can't be used. The dowel pins ended up being nowhere near the existing ones, so completely new positions need to be setup purely for the extension board, whilst still keeping the old ones should we need to exhibit at 16ft.

We found that the best way to align the two boards was to use a piece of scrap track and check the height across all four tracks. Under this section there are two large cramps holding the two boards tightly together while pilot holes are drilled from one board to the other.

With the pilot holes drilled, the boards are separated, larger holes drilled and new pins pressed into position.

And then the locking catches are added.

After removing and refitting the two sections several times to ensure everything lines up properly, we're happy with the alignment and work can continue.

Here the alignment of the new board can be seen against the existing tracks. By using half fishplates, these can be slid into position between the join to ensure perfect alignment. The ballast, once added, will hold the track in place but the fishplates will keep everything aligned while the glue dries.

The first tracks start to appear. An old level crossing, with its barriers removed, is used as a template for the new, automated level crossing (more to come on that!)

Checking the position of the turntable siding track to ensure that the level crossing is in the right place.

The level crossing will have servo-operated gates, this involves attaching stiff wire to the underside of the gates and feeding this through the base of the crossing and the boards. With the holes drilled in the correct position, the proper crossing can be installed and fixed into position.

More track added and screwed into position.

This is as far as we can really go without connecting to the board at the other end. Time was running out, as was the battery in my drill!

Looking from left to right, the tracks look reasonably straight. The viaducts will clearly need to be raised to the height of the existing upper loop tracks. The viaduct will (hopefully) span the entire five foot extension.

The crossing will be protected via two signals, we had just enough time left to screw these into position.

There will be a full write-up on the level crossing project, which has been ongoing for some time. Once it's installed and operating I'll do a full report on how it was done.

The boards were then separated ready for transportation home. Next week we'll do the same at the other end!

It doesn't look like much work but in reality, getting these two sections to perfectly align took a lot of fiddling, tweaking and cursing. We got there in the end though!